Finding it a challenge to land a new job because you don’t measure up to the job posting? Here are five underqualified job-seeking suggestions.
You’ve read plenty of job postings that sound like great jobs. The issue is that you don’t precisely meet the employer’s expectations. Maybe you complete 85% of the job expectations and miss out on the other 15%. Perhaps you have all the skills required except one, or you’re shy about several years of experience. So how will you get in?
According to career expert Donald Asher, author of 11 books, including How to Get Any Job and Who Gets Promoted, Who Doesn’t, and Why, as humans, we make “snap judgments based on mostly aesthetic criteria. If you want to be selected for a job you are not quite qualified for, you have to walk right, talk right, and represent right. Appearance counts a ton in this process: your resume’s appearance, obviously, and your appearance for interviews. You have to look like you belong in the job.”
Read the Job Posting Carefully
Your first step should understand what the employer wants and how your skills apply. “Take all the unique nouns out of the posting and put them into your resume, without telling a lie,” suggests Don. “More bright people can achieve this. It is a challenge of creativity to get these nouns truthfully into your documents.”
Be sure to highlight your best qualities. If it’s an experience you lack, make up for it with other skills. On the other hand, if you utilize to see that the jobs you want require expertise or skills you lack, it’s time to go out and get what you need. Go back to school, volunteer your time or find a temporary job to gain additional skills and experience.
Research the Company
Don says it is “absolutely critical” that you set yourself apart from the rest of the crowd by demonstrating your organization knowledge. It communicates you’re interested and you’ve done your research. One of the best methods to do this is to highlight something about the company and tie it into what you bring to the table.
For instance, if the company is going through a merger or acquisition and you have first-hand experience in this area, be sure to the point that out. Or perhaps the firm launched a product you know how to use, let them know. Don’t be afraid to point out relatable experiences.
Learn to Sell Yourself
It is essential marketing 101. First, you must show that you can interview candidates. Maybe you have a skill or area of expertise they didn’t request, but you believe you will fit nicely with the job. “Maybe you don’t have any experience with a software package that is required to perform in the new job,” offers Don, “but even knowing the name of it, and letting that drop casually off your lips, can clinch the deal.”
You know what traits they want (you read them in the job posting), so show you have them – whether you picked them up on your last job, gained them through training, or learned them through an internship or volunteer experience. If you want the job, you have to sing your praises.
Offer to Work as a Temp
If you are one of the many job seekers in-between jobs right now, you are in a perfect position to be flexible. Make your situation work for you.
In the employer’s eyes, you may not be the ideal candidate, so to prove you can handle the job, offer to take the position on a temporary or contract basis. In addition, consider donating a week of free training before the incumbent departs. Finally, if the situation calls for more years of experience than you have, suggest working in a junior or trainee role.
Suggest the Role that’s Right for You
When all else fails, offer the skills you do have. Perhaps the job they need to fill right now isn’t an exact match. But don’t close the door behind you.
“If they like you, and they don’t choose you for the role in question, they’ll feel a little guilty about that,” explains Don. “Let them know what other roles you could play and check in regularly with them in the future. You could be the inside candidate next time!”
